1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk apparatus for recording and reproducing information in which a disk is taken out of a disk holder, and relates to the disk holder for use in the disk apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a disk apparatus such as a CD (Compact Disk) player of the type provided with a magazine accommodating therein a plurality of disks and adapted to automatically select and play a disk selected by a user from the plurality of disks has become more popular from a standpoint of simplifying disk exchange operations of the user as far as possible and improving a sense of use. In order to reproduce a plurality of disks sequentially at a common disk playback section for reproducing information recorded on each of the disks, the disk apparatuses such as mentioned above are configured to fetch a desired disk from the loaded magazine, transport the disk to a disk playback section, and return the disk into the magazine after completion of the reproduction.
Particularly, some of the above mentioned disk apparatuses employ a system using a magazine which accommodates a plurality of disk holders, each of which holds therein one disk, in an arrangement by which respective holders can be drawn out independently, and performing a loading operation of a disk from the inside of the magazine to the playback section and an ejecting operation of the disk from the playback section into the magazine by simply moving the holder forward and backward, respectively. In the disk apparatus based on this system, the disk holder holding therein a selected disk is transported to a position nearby the disk playback section by the moving forward operation, and returned into the magazine by the moving backward operation after the disk is received in a predetermined playback position. In order to eject the disk such as for exchanging the disk with another disk or ejecting the magazine, the empty disk holder is transported to a position nearby the disk playback section by the moving forward operation, then the disk holder is returned into the magazine with the disk held""therein by the moving backward operation after the disk at the playback position is recovered in the holder. FIG. 10 shows a plan view of a conventional disk apparatus based on the system as mentioned above by way of example. Thus, as shown in FIG. 10, a magazine 2, which accommodate therein a plurality of disk holders 3 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the paper on which the figure is drawn, is loaded in a magazine mounting section provided within a case 1 of the apparatus as shown in the right-hand part of the figure. Each of the disk holders 3 is configured so that a disk 4 is inserted thereto and held therein in the direction parallel to the main surface thereof, and each of the disk holder 3 is provided with an engaging section 3a for drawing at one end thereof.
Further, a lift unit 5 is movably supported in the vertical direction with respect to the case 1 of the apparatus as. shown in the right-hand part of the figure. This lift unit 5 contains a holder drawing member 6 for drawing the disk holder 3 and a playback unit 7 for reproducing the disk 4.
Among these components, the holder drawing member 6 is mounted on a chassis of the lift unit 5 a movably in the disk transporting direction, i.e. a horizontal direction in the figure, and a fingernail-shaped lug 6a which engages with the engaging section 3a is provided at one end of the holding unit drawing member 6. The lift unit 5 is moved upward or downward according to a disk selection instruction in order to adjust the height of the holder drawing member 6 to the height of the disk holder 3 accommodating therein the selected disk 4.
On the other hand, the playback unit 7 is configured as shown in FIGS. 11 illustrating side views of the playback unit 7. FIG. 11A shows a disk loading state and FIG. 11B shows a disk clamping state. As shown in FIGS. 11, the playback unit 7 comprises a drive plate 10 having a rotatable turntable 8 and a spindle motor 9 for rotating the same, a clamp arm 12 having a rotatable clamper 11, and the like. The drive plate 10 and the clamp arm 12 are pivotably mounted on a chassis of the lift unit 5 via a common axis 5a, 5b so that they can vertically pivot around the axis 5a, 5b in the direction opposite to each other. That is, as shown in FIG. 11A, when the drive plate 10 is positioned lower, the clamp arm 12 is positioned upper, thereby the turntable 8 and the clamper 11 are spaced for some distance, while, as shown in FIG. 11B, when the drive plate 10 is positioned upper, the clamp arm 12 is positioned lower, thereby the turntable 8 and the clamper 11 can move closer to each other to clamp the disk 4 therebetween.
More particularly, the drive plate 10 and the clamp arm 12 are typically driven based on such a system as mentioned below. The drive plate 10 is mechanically driven in force with a cam and positioned at a prescribed place every time after completion of disk chucking operation. The clamp arm 12 is biased toward the drive plate 10 with a biasing force of a spring, and the position of the clamp arm 12 is controlled in the direction of moving away from the drive plate 10 by a position control section provided at a part of the apparatus. The position control section for controlling the position of the clamp arm is provided, for example, at a part of a member having a cam which compulsively drives the drive plate.
The turntable 8 comprises a ring-shaped engaging section 8a at a center of a support surface thereof for supporting the main surface of the disk 4, and the engaging section 8a having an outer diameter which is approximately same as the disk hole diameter is engaged in the disk hole of the disk 4. This disk engaging section has a tapered portion for guiding the disk 4 at a terminal end thereof. The damper 11 comprises a projection 11a at a center of the support surface thereof for supporting the main surface of the disk 4, and the projection 11a is adapted to project through the ring of the disk engaging section 8a. 
Disk loading operation of the disk apparatus shown in FIG. 10 having the configuration as mentioned above is as follows. First, the lift unit 5 is moved upward or downward according to a disk selection instruction in order to adjust the height of the holder drawing member 6 to the height of the disk holder 3 accommodating therein a selected disk 4. With the abovementioned state keeping, the disk holder 3 is drawn out from the inside of the magazine 2 by moving the holder drawing member 6 rightward in FIG. 10.
Next, when the disk holder 3 is drawn out to a prescribed position above the playback unit 7 and the disk 4 accommodated in the disk holder 3 is transported to the. playback position on the turntable 8 of the playback unit 7, the playback unit 7 is driven to effect the disk chucking operation. First, the disk chucking operation is performed when the turntable 8 and the clamper 11 is separated as shown in FIG. 11A, then the turntable 8 and the clamper 11 move closer to each other, thereby the disk playback unit is transferred to the disk clamping state as shown in FIG. 11B. In this case, the turntable 8 supports the main surface of the disk 4 on the support surface thereof, and operates to control the position of the disk 4 in the vertical direction (i.e. the direction along the rotation axis) as well as control the position of the disk 4 in the horizontal direction (i.e. the direction along the main surface) by engaging the disk engaging section 8a in the disk hole of the disk 4.
After completion of the disk chucking operation, the disk holder 3 is returned into the magazine 2 by moving the holder drawing member 6 leftward in FIG. 10. At this time, the disk 4 accommodated in the disk holder 3 is left in the playback unit 7 so as to be clamped between the turntable 8 and the clamper 1, therefore, only the empty disk holder is returned into the magazine 2.
Disk ejecting operation is provided as mentioned below. First, the empty disk holder 3 is drawn from the inside of the magazine 2 by moving the holder drawing member 6 leftward in FIG. 10 in response to the another disk selection instruction or the disk eject instruction. Subsequently, when this disk holder 3 is drawn to the prescribed position above the playback unit 7 and the disk 4 mounted on the turntable 8 is received in the disk holder 3, the playback unit 7 is driven to perform the disk chuck releasing operation. That is, the state as shown in FIG. 11B is transferred to the state as shown in FIG. 11A. After completion of the disk chuck releasing operation, the disk holder 3 receiving therein the disk 4 is returned into the magazine 2 by moving the holder drawing member 6 leftward in FIG. 10.
In the conventional disk apparatus in the foregoing, the turntable 8 is provided with a projection having an outer diameter which is approximately same as the inner diameter of the disk hole of the disk 4 in order to control the position of the disk 4 in the horizontal direction thereof by engaging the project in the inner diameter of the disk hole of the disk 4 supported on the turntable 8, the projection having a tapered portion at a terminal end thereof for guiding the disk 4.
When mounting the disk 4 on the turntable 8 having the abovementioned shape, if any burr or the like is present in the disk hole of the disk 4, the disk hole can be engaged with the tapered portion at a terminal end of the disk engaging section 8a of the turntable 8, therefore, the disk engaging section 8a can not be entirely inserted into the disk hole. In the case mentioned above, if the disk chucking operation is proceeded as it is, the disk 4 is clamped between the turntable 8 and the damper 11 with the disk 4 inclined. That is, the disk 4 is held inclined and afloat with respect to a normal height position (a reference plane) defined by the support surface of the turntable 8.
If the disk playback operation is processed in a bad chucking. condition such that the disk 4 is unstably clamped between the turntable 8 and the clamper 11 as shown in FIG. 12, the reproduction quality of the disk may be poor. Further, once the disk 4 is held inclined with respect to the turntable 8 as mentioned above, even if the disk 4 is well reproduced, the position of the disk 4 cannot be changed to the normal height position by means of the disk chuck releasing operation. The disk 4 is held still inclined and afloat with respect to the reference plane when the disk holder 3. receives the disk 4 after completion of the disk reproduction, so that there is a possibility that the disk holder 3 can not recover the disk 4.
These problems as in the foregoing are also present in various disk apparatuses to which a disk transporting mechanism including a moving member for transporting the disk such as the holder drawing member 6 shown in FIG. 10 and a disk playback section such as the playback unit 7 shown in FIG. 10 are substantially locked as in the case of the lift unit 5 shown in FIG. 10. Further, the similar problem as mentioned above is also present in a disk apparatus not using a magazine when the disk apparatus employs a system for drawing out the disk in the direction parallel to the main surface thereof and the disk transporting mechanism and when the disk playback section are substantially locked therein.
Further, there is present still another problem as mentioned below in the conventional disk apparatus. That is, in the conventional disk apparatus, when the disk mounted on the turntable is returned into the disk magazine, the disk holder is moved horizontally and the disk is recovered in the disk holder through the inserting portion thereof. The disk holder is inserted into grooves provided on both inner sides of the disk magazine. Considering the prevention of the disk vibration, it is necessary to make the groove narrow, which requires the higher positioning accuracy to insert the disk into the disk holder. However, if the disk is not properly held on the turntable or if the disk itself is deformed, the height difference is induced between the side face of the disk and the inserting portion of the disk holder. If such difference is present, there are possibilities that an end of the disk collide against an end of the disk holder on the inserting portion side thereof and that the disk holder can not recover the disk.
The problem mentioned above is addressed by increasing the clearance of the inserting portion of the disk holder, thereby an error caused by the height difference as in the foregoing is accommodated and the possibility that a trouble occurs is reduced. However, widening the inserting portion causes the increase of the thickness of the holder. Thus, it becomes necessary to vertically enlarge the magazine for accommodating a plurality of the disk holders arranged in stack, and, as a result, the disk apparatus has to be upsized in its entirety.
The present invention is suggested to eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages of the prior art.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable disk apparatus, wherein a consistently reliable disk chucking operation is ensured, disk positioning operation can be performed easily and correctly, and subsequent disk playing operation and disk recovering operation are also favorably implemented.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disk apparatus wherein the disk mounted on a playback or recording position can be reliably returned to the disk holding unit without increasing the apparatus in size.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a disk holding unit which ensures reliable disk insertion and does not require upsizing of the disk apparatus.
In order to accomplish the objects in the foregoing, in accordance with a basic aspect of the present invention, the disk engaging section is eliminated from the mechanically locked rotating member in the playback section or the position control is compulsively performed on the main surface of the disk by a disk control section for the proper direction, thereby an intimate contact of the disk with the rotating member can be obtained, as a result, a consistently reliable chucking operation is ensured.
More specifically, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, the disk apparatus comprises a disk playback section, a chucking operation drive mechanism, and disk transporting means. Among them, the disk playback section comprises a first supporting member which has a first turning member for rotating a disk and supports a spindle motor for rotating the first rotating member, and a second supporting member which has a second turning member for clamping a disk in cooperation with the first rotating member. In the chucking operation drive mechanism, one of the first and second supporting members is driven in a chucking direction with a biasing force of a spring, and another one of the first and second supporting members is mechanically locked to a chucking position, thereby the disk is clamped between the first and the second rotating members. The disk transporting member comprises means for guiding the disk to a region between the first and second rotating members.
In addition to the configurations in the foregoing, the apparatus further features that the first and the second rotating members are configured as described below. One of the first and second rotating members which is provided on the supporting member driven by the biasing force of the spring includes a disk engaging section adapted to engage in the disk inner diameter, and the disk engaging section comprises an outer wall having a diameter approximately the same as an inner diameter of the disk and an inner wall which is formed inside of the outer wall. The other of the first and the second rotating member which is provided on the mechanically locked supporting member includes a projection which is adapted to project through the inside of the inner wall of the disk engaging section.
In the disk apparatus characterized as mentioned above, the disk engaging section is provided on the rotating member which is driven by using the biasing force of the spring rather than provided on the rotating member which is mechanically locked, thereby the disk is ensured to be brought into intimate contact with the mechanically locked rotating member during disk chucking operation. Therefore, consistently reliable disk chucking operation is ensured.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, the disk apparatus comprises a magazine loading section, a disk playback section, holding unit drawing means, moving means, and a chucking operation drive mechanism. Among them, the magazine loading section is configured to receive a magazine, the magazine can accommodate a plurality of disk holding units in an arrangement such that any disk holding unit can be drawn out independently, and the disk holding unit accommodates a disk inserted in the direction parallel to the main surface thereof. The disk playback section comprises the first supporting member which has a first rotating member for rotating a disk and supports a spindle motor for rotating the first rotating member, and the second supporting member which has a second rotating member for clamping the disk in cooperation with the first rotating member. The holding unit drawing means draws out a specified disk holding unit from the magazine loaded in the magazine loading section and guides the disk accommodated in the disk holding unit to the region between the first and the second rotating members, and the moving means moves the holding unit drawing means in the direction of arranging the disk holding units in the magazine. The chucking operation drive mechanism include a mechanism for driving one of the first and second supporting member in the chucking direction with a biasing force of a spring, and fixing the other one of the first and second supporting member to a chucking position, thereby allowing a disk to be clamped between the first and second rotating members.
In the disk apparatus as in the foregoing, the aforementioned first and second rotating members are configured as in the following. One of the first and second rotating members which is provided on the supporting member driven by using the spring biasing force includes a disk engaging section which comprises an outer wall having a diameter which is approximately the same as an inner diameter of a disk in order to engage with the disk inner diameter, and an inner wall formed inside of the outer wall. The other one of the first and second rotating member which is provided on the mechanically locked supporting member includes a projection which projects through the inside of the inner surface of the disk engaging section.
In the disk apparatus in accordance with the present invention characterized as mentioned above, the disk engaging section is provided on the rotating member which is driven by using the biasing force of the spring rather than provided on the rotating member which is mechanically locked, thereby the disk is ensured to be brought into intimate contact with the mechanically locked rotating member during disk chucking operation. Therefore, a consistently reliable disk chucking operation is ensured.
The abovementioned disk apparatus in accordance with the second aspect may by modified as follows.
At least in the vicinity of the supporting member of the first and second supporting members which is driven by using the spring biasing force, there is provided a disk control section for controlling the position of a main surface of a disk accommodated in the disk holding unit when the disk holding unit is drawn out to a position where the disk held in the disk holding unit can be chucked.
According to the characteristics in the foregoing, the disk control section can compulsively control the position of the main surface of the disk in a proper direction using the spring biasing force during the disk chucking operation. Therefore, consistently reliable disk chucking operation is ensured.
Alternatively, the disk control section may be provided on a moving member which moves closer to the main surface of the disk accommodated in the disk holding unit when the holding unit accommodating a disk is drawn out to the position where the disk can be chucked. As this moving member, for example, the first or second supporting member itself may be used, or the other moving member which is operatively associated with these supporting members may be used.
When the disk control member such as mentioned above is used, the motion of the moving member approaching to the disk main surface can be used to compulsively control the position of the disk main surface in the proper direction.
Further, in accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, reliable disk insertion is provided without upsizing the disk apparatus.
That is, in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, a disk apparatus comprising a disk holding unit having an inserting portion through which a disk can be loaded or unloaded and reproducing means and/or recording means for reproducing and/or recording the information stored in the disk which is extracted from the disk holding unit, wherein the disk holding unit is provided so that it can be positioned to a position where an end of the disk during being played or recorded by the reproducing means or the recording means and an end of the disk holding unit at the inserting portion overlap one another.
In the disk apparatus configured as mentioned above, the end of the disk during playing or recording and the end of the disk holding unit overlap one another, therefore the disk does not completely separate from the inserting portion. Accordingly, if the height difference occurs between the end of the disk and the inserting portion, the end of the disk is made contact with and controlled by the end of the disk holding unit on the inserting portion side thereof and prevented from coming apart from the inserting portion, which ensures reliable disk insertion when returning the disk into the disk holding unit.
In the disk apparatus as mentioned above, a guide piece formed from a thin wall may provided at the end of the disk holding unit which overlaps the end of the disk. is provided.
When such a guide piece is provided on the end of the disk holding unit, the end of the disk holding unit which overlaps the end of the disk is a thin wall guide piece, thereby the clearance of the inserting portion increases,. and that the end of the disk during playing or recording and. the end of the disk holding unit become hard to contact to each other.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disk holding unit having an inserting portion through which a disk can be loaded or unloaded in the direction parallel to the main surface thereof, wherein a guide member is provided at one end of the holding unit on the inserting portion side thereof, the guide member opening when the disk is inserted and becoming narrow after accommodation of the disk.
In the disk holding unit as mentioned above, the guide member opens when the disk is returned into the disk holding unit and the clearance of the inserting portion is broadened. Accordingly, if any height difference occurs between the disk end and the inserting portion, an error caused by the height difference as in the foregoing is accommodated by the opening of the inserting portion, thereby reliable disk insertion is ensured. The guide member closes after the disk is accommodated in the disk holding unit, and the inserting portion becomes narrow. Accordingly, there is no need to increase the thickness of each disk holding unit, as a result, the disk apparatus can be rid of upsizing in its entirety.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disk holding unit which has an inserting portion through which a disk can be loaded or unloaded in the direction parallel to the main surface thereof and which is dismountably loaded in the disk magazine, wherein a guide member is provided at an end of the disk holding unit on the inserting portion side thereof, the guide member opening when the end is drawn from the disk magazine and becoming narrow when the end is accommodated in the disk magazine.
In the disk holding unit in accordance with the fifth aspect, the guide member opens when the disk holding unit is drawn from the disk magazine for returning the disk into the disk holding unit and the clearance of the inserting portion is broaden. Accordingly, if any height difference occurs between the disk end and the inserting portion, an error caused by the height difference is accommodated by the opening of the inserting portion. Further, once the disk holding unit is accommodated in the disk magazine, the guide member closes and the clearance of the inserting portion becomes narrow. Accordingly, there is no need to increase the thickness of each disk holding unit, and no need to increase the size of the magazine for accommodating the disk holding units therein, as a result, the disk apparatus can be rid of upsizing in its entirety.
In accordance with the fifth aspect of the present invention, the abovementioned guide member may have a butting portion which butts against another disk holding unit or the inside of the disk magazine, thereby narrowing the inserting portion.
In the case where the guide member as mentioned above is used, the inserting portion is narrowed by the butting portion when the disk holding unit is accommodated in the disk magazine, thereby the butting portion prevent the disk from popping out of the disk holding unit.
The disk holding unit in accordance with the fourth or fifth aspect may be formed of a resilient material in its entirety or in part. When such a material is used, the guide member is allowed to automatically open and close owing to the resiliency thereof.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a disk apparatus in accordance with the present invention, particularly illustrating a plurality of main members which are located at their initial position;
FIG. 2 are views of the playback unit and the first drive plate shown in FIG. 1: wherein FIG. 2A is a side view of the playback unit and first drive plate in a disk loading state both of which are incorporated in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2B is a side view of the playback unit and the first drive plate in a disk clamping state;
FIG. 3A is a sectional view showing the turntable and damper of the disk apparatus. shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3B is a sectional view of a conventional turntable and a conventional clamper for comparison;
FIG. 4A is a sectional view showing the state in which a disk is properly supported on the turntable shown in FIG. 3A; FIG. 4B is a sectional view showing the state in which a disk is caught by the conventional disk inserting portion shown in FIG. 3B for comparison;
FIG.5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a disk apparatus in accordance with the present invention, particularly illustrating a plurality of main members which are located at their initial position;
FIG. 6 is a diagram viewed from a direction of an arrow xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d in FIG. 5, particularly illustrating a disk control section;
FIG. 7A is a side view of the disk apparatus in a disk loading state shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 7B is a side view of the same disk apparatus in a disk clamping state;
FIG.8 is a plan view of a third embodiment of a disk apparatus in accordance with the present invention, particularly illustrating a plurality of main members which are located at their initial position;
FIG. 9A is a side view of the disk apparatus in a disk loading state shown in FIG. 8; FIG. 9B is a side view of the same disk apparatus in a disk clamping state;
FIG. 10 is a plan view of a conventional disk apparatus by way of example;
FIG. 11 are views showing a playback unit shown in FIG. 10: wherein FIG. 11A shows a side view of the playback unit in a disk loading state which is incorporated into a conventional disk apparatus shown in FIG. 8; FIG. 11B is a side view of the same playback unit in a disk clamping state;
FIG. 12 is a side view of the playback unit shown in FIG. 10, particularly illustrating a inadequate chucking condition;
FIG. 13 is a sectional side view of a disk magazine which is incorporated into the other embodiment of the disk apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a front view of the disk magazine shown in FIG. 13;
FIG. 15 is a perspective plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, illustrating a playback standby state in the operating process;
FIG. 16 is a sectional side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, illustrating a playback standby state in the operating process;
FIG. 17 is a side view of a plate of a transporting mechanism of the embodiment shown in the FIG. 13;
FIG. 18 is a plan view of the plate shown in FIG. 17;
FIG. 19 is a sectional side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, illustrating a disk transporting state in the operating process;
FIG. 20 is a sectional side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, illustrating a disk reproducing state in the operating process;
FIG. 21 is a perspective plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, illustrating a disk transporting state in the operating process;
FIG. 22 is a perspective plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, illustrating a disk reproducing state in the operating process;
FIG. 23 is a flowchart used for explaining the operating steps of the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 24 is a bottom plan view of the disk holder of the second embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 25 is a sectional side view of the disk holder shown in FIG. 24.